


Betrayal

by sailor8t



Series: Upheaval [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, I suck at tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-16
Updated: 2016-11-30
Packaged: 2018-08-31 09:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,567
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8572885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailor8t/pseuds/sailor8t
Summary: Clarke and Octavia leave the 100 soon after landing and join Trikru after the Mountain Men capture the others. Their rescue doesn't go as planned.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own The 100 or much of anything else. This is just for fun, and I'll return the characters when I'm done.

_When there is pain, there are no words. All pain is the same. Toni Morrison_

I didn't know anything when we got down here. All that time studying Earth – history, science, biology, ecology, botany, even a bit of chemistry – meant nothing. We weren't prepared at all for anything. Of course, we were expendable. That was why we were here after all, because the Ark needed oxygen any way it could get it, and the Council – my mother, certified son of a bitch Marcus Kane, and that traitorous bastard Thelonious Jaha – decided that we were a two-for-one deal. They could send us away without floating us and hopefully find out in the process whether Earth was livable.

Earth is a fucking deathtrap for us. There are so many ways to die. The radiation levels won't do us in, but not knowing what we can eat will. We don't even have anything to boil water in, and I really doubt it's safe to just drink from the streams and lakes. We have no idea what plants are safe to even touch. And Bellamy keeps trying to turn this little camp we're making into the Lord of the Flies. Fuck that.

I got a few packs of protein paste and lifted a knife from one of those dumbasses who got blackout drunk on Monty's moonshine. Oh yeah, that made sense, set up a still right away using who the hell knows what. The ones who weren't drunk were hallucinating from eating something. Except for Octavia. She followed me out of the camp, asking a hundred questions a minute.

I finally told her to shut the hell up if she wanted to come with me. She did. I was amazed. We walked to the river, and I turned left. There was a waterfall to the right. We walked all night. When the sun rose, we took a look around. There was nothing except trees and the river. We sat down long enough to drink a little water from the canteen and split a protein pack.

We kept walking. Next thing I know, a bunch of people – I hope they're people, but it's hard to tell with all the fur and face paint – jump out of the trees and surround us, scaring us half to death in the process. I keep trying to talk our way out of it, but they aren't having it. I'm not even sure they understand me. At least they don't think we're dangerous. They don't tie us up, just surround us and start moving. They push us forward and it's obvious we have no choice.

The place they take us is a town. There are stone buildings set along streets. There's more grass than pavement, but there's order. Several of the buildings have more than one story. They have glass windows and wooden doors. In glimpses of back yards I see chairs and tables. I hear children, but don't see them. I look at Octavia and see the same wonder on her face. They told us it was impossible for people to be here, yet here they are.

And they aren't just surviving. They all look happy and well fed. They're obviously armed. I'd bet all my protein packs that the houses are filled with furniture and things to keep them warm.

The building we're forced into is small. It has a fireplace and two benches. Chains are set into the walls, and I shudder, fearing we’ll be restrained. Instead, we’re left alone. I'm pretty sure at least one of those big guys is standing at the door to keep us from leaving.

Octavia and I sit together on one of the benches. “What do you think they're going to do to us?”

She looks so much younger than I am, so much younger than she is. Even so, I'm not going to lie to her. “I don't know.”

“We didn't do anything.”

“There's not a lot we can do except wait. Don't make yourself crazy worrying.”

“I can't help it,” Octavia whispers. “I don't know anything, Clarke. I went from the floor in our quarters to jail.” She looks around. “This is jail.”

“I know, Octavia.” I pick up her hand and wrap mine around it. She looks surprised but squeezes my hand for a few seconds.

We don't wait long. The woman who comes looks like she's seen a lot of fights. Her face is scarred, her dark hair short. She wears armor and carries several blades. When she speaks, her voice has the tone of command, but we don't understand what she asks.

When she switches to English, it makes me a little more worried. “Who are you? Why do you trespass in Trigeda lands?”

“I'm Clarke Griffin. This is Octavia Blake. We're sorry if we went somewhere we aren't supposed to.”

“Where are you from?”

“We're from space.”

She barks something I think is supposed to be a laugh. “You fell from the sky.”

“Yes.”

“Branwada,” she snarls. “I am nearly out of patience.”

“It's true. We lived in space, and they sent us here to see whether it was safe for everyone to come down.”

“There are more of you?”

“Yes.”

She looks at Octavia, who looks a lot calmer than I feel. “Did you fall from space, too, little girl?”

“Yeah. It was a great ride,” Octavia smirks.

I’m not sure who wants to smack her more, me or our pissed off interrogator.

“Octavia, don't antagonize her.”

“She's not going to do anything, Clarke, or she would have done it already.” Octavia stands up. “We aren't any danger to you. Just let us go. We'll find someplace else.”

She laughs and shoves Octavia back to the bench. I stand up then. “Hey, leave her alone. She didn't do anything to you.”

She shoves me, and both Octavia and I reach our limit. We both jump up and charge her, and for our trouble, both end up on our asses. Octavia starts to get up again, but I grab her arm.

“Branwada,” she sneers, and leaves us.

“What the hell, Clarke?”

“She could kill both of us.”

“If she was gonna kill us, we’d be dead.”

“How do you figure?”

“We’re still here. We aren’t even hurt.”

“So she’ll come back and kill us later.”

Octavia goes to the door and listens. She drops to her hands and knees to peer through the gap at the bottom and returns to the bench. “There’s a guard.”

“I figured.”

“I don’t like it in here.”

“We’re not supposed to like it. Next time, let me talk.”

“You were doing such a great job,” Octavia says sarcastically.

“You starting a fight didn’t help.”

Octavia rolls her eyes. I give her a dirty look. We sit silently, waiting.

It isn’t long before our first interrogator returns with another woman. She is younger, but obviously important.

“You fell from the sky?” she asks without prelude.

“Yes,” I answer.

“Where are the rest?”

“I have no idea.”

“How do you not know where you’re from?”

“I told you, we’re from a space station. I don’t have a clue where we are in relation to where we landed. It’s not like you gave us a chance to draw a map.”

“Landmarks,” the dark skinned woman barks.

“Look, we aren’t any danger to you. Just let us go. You won’t see us again.”

She begins to growl, and the younger woman shuts her down. “Indra, leave us.”

“Heda,” she answers unhappily, but does as she is told.

This time, she ignores me and speaks to Octavia. “How many?”

“What?”

I stand up and motion for Octavia to stay still. “I will do my best to answer your questions, but we’re really tired. None of us are a threat to anyone.”

“I will be the judge of that.”

“What’s heda? Is that your name or a title?”

“It is my title.”

I hold out my hand. “I’m Clarke Griffin. This is Octavia Blake.” Handshakes started as a demonstration of good intent between warriors who offered their empty dominant hands to show they meant no harm. It hasn’t been a hundred years yet, so I hope that custom hasn’t disappeared.

She looks at me closely while grasping my forearm. “I am Lexa kom Trikru.”

“What does Heda mean?” It’s hard to get out. There’s something about her, the piercing green eyes, the pressure of her fingers on my forearm even through my jacket and shirt.

“Commander.” She lets go of my arm. “Tell me, Klark kom Skaikru, how you came to be in Trigeda lands.” Lexa gestures toward the bench, so I sit.

“It’s a long story.”

“I am willing to listen.”

That’s the best I’m going to get for the moment. I glance at Octavia and she gives a little shrug. “The space station is failing, so the leaders sent a group of us here to see if we can live on Earth again.”

“How many?”

“A hundred.”

“Weapons?”

“Your people took my weapon.”

“That sharp bit of metal.”

“It’s a knife.”

Lexa smiled and pulled a blade from the sheath at her side. “This is a knife.”

Octavia and I both hold up our hands.

“Weapons,” Lexa repeats.

“None.”

“Food.”

“Not enough.”

“Supplies.”

“Mostly gone.”

“Why would your people send you unprepared?”

“Fucking assholes,” Octavia mutters.

I glare at her. “We’re supposed to go to Mount Weather to find supplies and contact them.”

“The Mountain expects you?”

“What?”

“Do the people in the Mountain know you’re coming?”

“There are people at Mount Weather?”

“Do they know you’re coming?”

“We haven’t seen or heard anyone except the people who brought us here. We have no way to contact Mount Weather or the Ark.”

Lexa looks at me, and I look back. I’d love to draw her. Her face looks at first like all sharp angles and planes, but it isn’t. I forget for a second that we aren’t friends, but she doesn’t.

“Why should I believe you?”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Where are the rest of your people?”

“I told you, I don’t know. We were following the river.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t feel safe with them.”

“Why?”

“Are you two?” Octavia asks impatiently.

We both ignore her. “The boy they’re listening to, he says there aren’t any rules. They can do whatever they want, and damn the consequences.”

“There are rules.”

“Knew you’d say that,” Octavia mumbles, and I elbow her.

“And actions have consequences. I understand that. We’re not spying on you for anyone. We’re not doing anything except trying to find someplace we can survive.”

“Until the rest come.”

“I don’t know if they can come. They’ll try, but.” I stop. I know a lot about the Ark because keeping it going was my Dad’s job, at least until he was executed for trying to warn everyone about its advanced state of decay. There aren’t enough drop ships for everyone. There’s not enough of anything. I miss him so much. They killed him and threw me in jail and the last thing Mom said was that she was saving my life and it is all too much for a moment. I close my eyes and swallow and take a deep breath.

When I open my eyes, Lexa is studying me. “I’ll tell you everything, but I’m really tired. Can I please rest first?”

“Clarke,” Octavia hisses.

I turn to her, but before I can say anything, Lexa speaks to her.

“Okteivia kom Skaikru, you have something to say?”

“I’m not going to tell you where my friends are so you can kill them,” she says.

“Why do you assume I will kill them? Have you been harmed? Were you threatened?”

  
“No,” Octavia says slowly.

“Do you always think the worse of everyone you meet?”

“I haven’t met that many people, and most of them suck.”

“Do I suck?”

Octavia looks stunned. I drop my face into my hands so I won’t laugh out loud.

“What?”

“Do I suck?” Lexa repeats.

I peek through my fingers at her. She’s amused by Octavia. I hope that’s a good thing.

“So far,” Octavia answers defiantly.

“Why?”

“Uh, I’m sitting in jail.”

“A precaution.”

Octavia rolls her eyes. I can’t keep the giggles in any longer. Octavia looks at me like I’ve lost it and misses the flicker of a smile on Lexa’s face.

“Klark, come with me.”

“Not without Octavia.”

“Octeivia will be fine. I wish to speak to you without interruption.”

“Clarke, don’t leave me here.”

“You will not remain here,” Lexa tells her. “I will show Klark where you will be, and when she and I finish speaking, she will join you. I give you my word that you will be safe.”

“Clarke,” Octavia whispers.

“It’s OK, Octavia.” I take her hand again. “We’ll be OK.” I look at Lexa. “Please don’t separate us.”

“It will not be for long.”

“Please.”

Lexa looks at Octavia, who’s trying to be brave, but she’s still a kid and I’m all she has. “You will be able to see Klark, Octeivia, but I must speak with her.”

“OK?” I ask Octavia softly, and she finally nods.

“Indra,” Lexa calls, and the door opens. Lexa looks at me again. “Come,” she instructs, and we follow her out. Octavia has death grip on my hand, but that’s the only sign she’s afraid.

We walk behind Lexa, with Indra bringing up the rear. I wonder whether she’s always pissed off or if it’s just us. As scary as she is, Lexa is more so. Indra jumps without stopping to ask how high when Lexa speaks. I wonder whether it’s fear or respect.

Lexa is true to her word. We enter a building larger than many of the others. Lexa leaves Octavia with Indra in one room. Lexa speaks to Indra in their own language which sounds like English’s bastard cousin mixed with a few other languages to keep it interesting. Indra seats Octavia at a table and begins barking orders. Octavia is taking everything in, and I’m keeping an eye on her.

Lexa sits at a table, her chair facing the exit, and points to the chair to her left. I sit down, relieved that Lexa is keeping her word. Octavia can see me, but not hear us, and I can see her. I feel Lexa studying me while we wait for something.

It’s food and drinks and it’s not protein paste and recycled water. It’s glorious. Octavia falls on hers like a starving animal, but I try to show some restraint. Lexa lets me get some food down before she asks again, “Tell me again how you came to be here.”

I start with my Dad, and how the Ark is running out of oxygen. I leave out the part about how they took all of us from jail. I mean, I’m not a criminal. They locked me up for treason, alone, so I couldn’t tell anyone what Dad knew. Octavia was locked up for being born. Wells did something stupid to come down with me. Bellamy shot Jaha, and I’d give him a medal for it if he wasn’t such an arrogant fucking asshole, and he came to protect Octavia. There are only a few who did anything actually criminal. Most of us were desperate, and our luck ran out.

Lexa doesn’t interrupt with questions. I don’t try to hide anything. She’ll find the others if she wants to, if she hasn’t already. I can’t control what she does. All I can do is try to keep Octavia and I alive.

When I finish, Lexa says, “In the morning, we will retrace your steps.”

I nod. It’s not like I have a choice.

Lexa summons Indra, and she escorts Octavia and I to another building. It’s tiny, one room, a fireplace, a table and two chairs, and two beds. I hear the door lock when we’re left there, and I have no doubt a guard’s on the other side.

“What did she want, Clarke?”

“I don’t know. She had me tell her everything again.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Good. Get some sleep.”

“G’night, Clarke.”

“’Night, Octavia.”

The last thing I remember is the forest green intensity of Lexa’s gaze.

100 – 100 – 100

Two women come for us early in the morning. They take us to yet another building, and both of our eyes go wide when we see vats of steaming water. Everything we need is there, towels, soap, clean clothes. It’s my first bath ever, and it is amazing. There’s so much water, and it feels so good I don’t even care that we have an audience. As much as I’d like to linger, I don’t, and Octavia follows my lead.

We dress in the clothing, and we both need help. It’s confusing, but comfortable, when we’re dressed, they sit us on the bench. They comb our hair and put in a few braids before hustling us out the door.

We go to a communal mess hall, much like the one on the Ark except there’s plenty of food and it all smells delicious. Octavia eats like she won’t ever have the chance again, and I can’t blame her. On the Ark, we got the minimum amount of calories needed, but they never tasted good. On this table alone, there’s meat, cheese, bread, and fruit. There are pitchers of different beverages, and a pot of something like oatmeal. No one speaks to us, but we get plenty of looks.

Lexa is speaking with Indra when we leave the mess hall. Indra gives us a contemptuous look before taking her leave. We follow Lexa through this village or town or whatever it is. At the gate, a group of armed people wait, more than a dozen. I recognize one from yesterday by the spiral tattooed on his cheek.

There’s no talking as we walk. I don’t recognize anything until we reach the river. Lexa looks at me and I point upstream. We begin walking again. When we reach the waterfall several hours later, I point into the forest.

Lexa leaves us at the river with two guards while the rest of them disappear into the trees. I listen as hard as I can, but all I hear is water and the occasional bird call. More than an hour later, one of the guards returns and we follow him back to the drop ship.

There’s nothing there, though. The fire is out. The drop ship is empty. There are bright yellow metal canisters on the ground. They’re small and don’t look like anything I’ve seen. Lexa is standing over one and summons me with a wave.

“Do you know what that is?”

“No.”

“It comes from the Mountain. Maunon have taken your friends.”

“What?”

“The Mountain Men have captured your friends. The fortunate ones are dead, or will be soon.”

I look back at Octavia. I have no idea how to tell her that Bellamy is dead, and Atom, and the rest. I feel a wave of grief about Wells. I didn’t think I would ever forgive him, but that was before I couldn’t.

“You and Octeivia are no danger to us. You may join us if you wish. I suggest you do, for your safety.”

I nod. It’s not as if we have another choice.

“Is there tek here?”

“Some, I guess.”

“Show me.”

Inside the drop ship, I answer all of Lexa’s questions. She looks disgusted when we finish. There’s not anything useful except salvage.

“Why would anyone take them?” I ask as we leave the drop ship.

“It is what they do,” she answers with a shrug.

“Why?”

“We do not know. They turn some into Ripas, and the others are just gone.”

“Ripas?”

“Worse than animals. They kill for pleasure, take what they want. They eat the dead.”

“Cannibals?”

“Sha. Yes.”

I’m exhausted now, but it’s more emotional than physical even though I’ve walked more than the past two days than I did my whole life on the Ark.

“I am sorry, Klark.”

I nod and follow her back outside. Octavia is watching anxiously, and tries to run to me. Guards grab her but release her when Lexa gestures. She skids to a stop in front of me. “Where are they?”

“Gone.”

“Gone where?”

“I don’t know. Lexa said they’re dead.” I squat and pick up the canister. It has red residue around the top. When I begin to bring it to my face, Lexa plucks it from my hand.

“It is not safe.” She tosses it toward her guards. One catches it while the others hurry to gather the rest. “It is how they take people. The gas makes them fall.”

“We have to find them,” Octavia says.

“They are gone,” Lexa repeats. “No one survives Maun-de.”

“You did this,” Octavia accuses.

“I am sorry, Octeivia.”

Octavia looks at me, eyes full of tears. “She’s lying, Clarke.”

“I don’t think so.” I take the few steps, wrap my arms around her. “We’ll be OK,” I promise, even though we both know I probably can’t keep it.

They leave us alone for a few minutes until Lexa tells us, “We must return to Tondisi. It is not safe here.”

This time, I pay attention, trying to memorize details that will let me return. As before, we are surrounded by armed people. It is nearly full dark before we reach Tondisi. We go directly to the mess hall. Lexa nods at me before she walks away.

We spend another night in the one room building, tired and stunned and sad. Somehow, we sleep. In the morning, we are taken directly to Lexa, and we eat with her while she asks more questions. When she finds out I was being trained to be a doctor, she says I will spend my time with the healers there. Octavia has no skills. She spent all her life hiding before she was jailed.

She tells Octavia that unless she has some objection, she will spend her time learning to fight. I think it might be good for Octavia. When our meal is over, we are escorted away, and curiosity overwhelms any fear that we might be harmed. If Lexa wanted us dead, she could have killed us at the drop ship. No one would have cared.

100 – 100 – 100

Days bleed into weeks. Octavia settles in quickly. She makes friends, learns to hold her tongue and follow orders. Nyko is the chief healer at Tondisi. He is quiet and kind, eager to teach me and learn what I know. He is the one who begins teaching me Trigedasleng.

I see Lexa only in passing until one afternoon she sends someone to invite me to dinner. I’ve learned who she really is, and understand that although the message is couched as an invitation, it’s an order. Nyko sends me away early to bathe and prepare, although I had a bath two days ago. I’m not really arguing about the bath; I love relaxing in the steaming water.

Apparently the attendants heard why I’m there, because the water has flowers and herbs. It smells nice, and after I bathe, one of them braids my hair. There’s a guard waiting when I exit the bathhouse, and he leads me to the building where Lexa stays.

This is the first time we are alone. It’s a little awkward. I don’t know why I’m afraid to look at her.

“Klark, try this,” she says, and puts a bit of fish on my plate.

“It’s good,” I tell her around the first bite. “Mochof.”

She smiles at me. “Are you happy, Klark?”

“Sha, Heda. Nyko is an excellent teacher.”

“He speaks highly of you.”

I wonder then why she is keeping track of me. I’m just another person now, no one special, except for the designation that Octavia and I share, kom Skaikru. There are no other Sky people, but Trikru don’t have last names.

“I must return to Polis soon.”

“What’s Polis?”

“Polis is my capital. It is very different from Tondisi. I wish you to come with me.”

“I can’t leave Octavia.”

“Octeivia may come. She can continue her training in Polis.”

“If that’s what you want, Heda.”

“Will you come with me?”

“Sha, Heda.”

“It is not an order, Klark. I am asking you. Heda is not demanding.”

“Why?”

She smiles at my bemusement. My heart skips a beat or something. She’s so much more beautiful when she smiles.

“I enjoy your company, Klark.”

“Heda?”

“Leksa,” she corrects me. “When we are alone, you may call me Leksa.”

I stare at her as the dots connect.

“Klark?”

I love the way she says my name, and snap back to attention. “Sha, Leksa, I will travel to Polis with you.”

While we finish our meal, she tells me about Polis and all it holds. It sounds too good to be true. Tondisi has scraps of the old world culture, but Polis has so much more. There was so little actual art on the Ark and few physical books. Those things have weight, so they were digitized and left behind. Seeing reproductions isn’t the same as seeing the actual item, the brushstrokes and blending of colors, the emotion.

“I would like to show you something,” Lexa says when our meal is finished.

“OK.”

She gets her cloak and another, puts it around my shoulders. “It is a short walk, but the nights are getting cold,” she explains.

No guards follow us out of the village, but I’ve learned how stealthy Trikru warriors are. If they don’t want us to know they’re there, we won’t see them. Lexa keeps conversation going. She tells me about her life as a small child here before she was sent to Polis. At the same time, she pays attention, and catches me when I trip because I’m too busy staring at her lips to watch where I’m going.

Our destination is amazing. Everything glows, even the butterflies that flit from flower to flower. I stare, taking it all in, memorizing details. A butterfly lands on Lexa’s outstretched arm and I put my own out. One lands on mine, and she is smiling at me, relaxed, beautiful, and I see Lexa, not Heda.

During the walk back to the village, I catch her hand. She doesn’t look at me, but I see her smile. She walks me to the tiny cabin I continue to share with Octavia.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” I say, and she smiles again.

“Thank you for sharing it with me. Will you dine with me tomorrow?”

“I’d love to.” I lean in and quickly kiss her cheek. “Good night, Leksa.”

Octavia is sitting on her bed. “Where were you?”

“On a date.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“With who?”

“Leksa.”

“Heda?”

“Yes.”

“Damn, Clarke.”

“When she goes to Polis, we’re going with her.”

“I like it here.”

“I thought you’d want to come with me.”

“I’ll think about it,” Octavia answers grudgingly.

I get ready for bed, and after the candles are out, I play the evening over in my mind and decide that it was as awesome as I thought it was at the time. I wonder what’s up with Octavia, though. Why wouldn’t she want to come to Polis with me?

I get an answer in the morning. Octavia eats breakfast with Lincoln, and they disappear together after. I’ll talk to her later, make sure she’s making an informed choice.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days are busy. I talk to Octavia and hear all about her new relationship. She’s happy, so I won’t make her go. I spend days with Nyko, making salves and potions, tending to the occasional injury, and dine with Lexa each evening. The whole week is nearly gone before she kisses me properly. It was worth the wait.

We are to leave for Polis in two days. Lexa and I are walking away from camp when we hear her title called. I’m still learning, but I understand enough that they have a prisoner. I follow Lexa to where he is located, and gasp in shock when I see him. I push through the guards, get between him and Lexa, kneel in front of front of him.

“Wells?”

“Clark,” he says hoarsely, “thank God. I’ve been so worried.”

Lexa’s guards try to pull me away from Wells, and I turn toward her. “He’s not an enemy, Lexa. He’s my friend.”

“He says he was in the Mountain.”

“Then he was in the Mountain.”

“No one leaves the Mountain alive.”

“Anya helped me.” Wells holds out a braid.

I don’t recognize it but Lexa does. She barks an order and turns for her tent, walking away as fast as she can without running. The guards drag Wells in that direction, so I hurry to catch Lexa.

She enters her tent seconds before I arrive, and I find her leaning over the table. She’s shaking, trembling, and I approach cautiously, put my arms around her from behind, rest my cheek between her shoulder blades. “I’m sorry.”

Lexa stands up and turns around in my arms. “I cannot do this now. I must speak with your friend. Understand, Klark, he must speak true.”

“Wells is the most honest person I know.”

“You will stay,” she orders.

“Sha, Heda.”

“For me, Klark. I need you to stay.”

I want to smile. She needs me. But this isn’t the time. “I’ll stay as long as you need me.”

She smiles then, tiny and brief, and for a few seconds we embrace. I kiss the base of her throat, wanting to tell her something I can’t with words, and her arms momentarily tighten around me.

And then we are apart, and she is Heda and I am Klark kom Skaikru, a guest, no one of importance. Wells is dragged in and forced to his knees. He is filthy, covered in fresh bruises, scrapes, and cuts. He still holds the bit of hair in his hand.

“Gon we,” Heda barks. The guards who brought Wells bow and back away. A moment later, Indra enters.

She looks at Wells and rolls her eyes, wondering, I’m sure, why Heda has taken to adopting strays.

“Stand up,” Lexa orders, and Wells struggles to his feet. “Tell me everything.”

It’s a long, complicated story. Maybe it’s only complicated because of my feelings. The more he talks, the more anxious I get.

“It was morning, breakfast time,” Wells began. “Everyone was outside around the fire, eating the little food we had while Bellamy assigned the day’s work. Then there was a cloud of red smoke. I swear I saw someone in a hazmat suit, and it was the last thing I knew until I woke up in a white room. Everything was white,” he said, and looked at me. “But there was a painting on the wall, Clarke, the one you like so much, of the woman at the opera in Paris.”

“Lydia at the loge?”

“Yeah, that one. It was the only color in there. They let me out after a day, let me shower, gave me clothes, took me to a cafeteria. Everyone else was there, and they were all happy. Something was off, though. Nobody wanted to listen to me, so I went to investigate. What I found,” he stops, looking sad and sick and horrified. Wells takes a deep breath and continues. “It’s the worst thing I ever saw. People in cages. Stacks of them. Almost naked. Bruised. Pale. One was hanging upside down from the ceiling with a tube in his neck. They were draining his blood.

“One of the people in the cages got my attention. I broke the lock and she got out and said something I didn’t understand to the rest. We left through a body chute. A body chute, Clarke, they had something set up so they could just get rid of dead bodies like they’re garbage. We landed in a pile of them, and we ran. She dragged me along. The people who were chasing us were howling like animals. We jumped off the dam spillway and I almost drowned, and she made me get up and we kept running. The people from Mount Weather kept finding us, though. I don’t know how. They shot her. I did everything I could for her, but she made me stop when we found a hiding place.

“She said she knew she was dying and that when she did, I should bring one of her braids to Heda Lexa kom Trikru and tell her what was being done to their people. I stayed with her, and I covered her body with leaves and branches so they wouldn’t find it after I left.” Wells held out his hand again, offering the braid to Lexa. “They’re taking blood from your people because they can’t tolerate the radiation. I don’t know what they’ll do to the rest of us, but I don’t think it will be good.”

I can feel the rage in the room, Indra’s, but mostly Lexa’s.

“Who’s there?” I blurt out.

“Everybody. I’m sorry, Clarke, I tried to take care of them, but they keep believing Bellamy’s right, and now they’re safe. They aren’t thinking at all.”

Lexa speaks in English, for Wells’ benefit and mine. “Take him to the healer. Clean him up. Feed him and let him rest. I will speak to him again after.”

Wells looks alarmed, and looks at me. “It’s OK, Wells. I’ll talk to you soon. You’re safe here.”

Indra snorts as she takes Wells’ upper arm and leads him away.

“That’s why you wanted to know if we knew anything about Mount Weather.”

“Sha.” Lexa is focused on the hair in her hand. “No one has ever come out of there the same as when they were taken.”

“Are you OK?”

“I need to be alone, Klark.”

“I’m sorry about your friend, Leksa.”

She nods, but doesn’t look up, so I leave her on her throne, bent onto her knees.

100 – 100 – 100

I don’t know where they took Wells and nobody will answer my questions. I go to the infirmary but he isn’t there. I walk through the village and give up when I don’t see anyone. I go to the cabin I share with Octavia. Lexa is hurting and won’t talk to me. Wells is injured and they took him away. Nyko is probably with him. I am frustrated that there is nothing I can do.

I go back to the healer’s tent, hoping to find Wells, or at least Nyko. No one is there, which is unusual. I walk TonDC searching for him and find nothing. It is beyond frustrating. It’s not that big a place. I would go to Lexa, but she asked me to give her space, so I will. I wonder whether this will keep her here, where we can sometimes be Leksa and Klark. I know it’s greedy of me to want her to myself. I know there will always be something that comes before me.

It’s long past supper time before I give up. I go back to my cabin. It’s empty. I don’t bother to light a candle or the lamp. I lay on my bed and stare at the ceiling. The others are alive, but I don’t think they’ll stay that way for long unless Lexa does something. Unless we do something. I don’t know what, though.

It’s late when the door opens, and I think it’s Octavia, but it’s Lexa. She lights a candle and I sit up.

“I didn’t mean to wake you,” she says.

“I wasn’t asleep.”

“Your friend is resting. He has no serious injuries.”

“Thank you for letting me know.”

She looks at my bed. “May I?”

“Sha.” I cross my legs so there’s room for her to sit.

“Anya was my Fos, the one who trained me as a warrior. For many years, she was the only person who cared about me. When I ascended, she provided counsel and led troops. She was fearless and aggravating and I.” Lexa falters and takes a deep breath before she continues. “Tomorrow, I will speak with your friend again, and then he will take me to her body so that I can release her soul. When that is done, I will convene a war council. We will decide what action, if any, to take. The Mountain is a dangerous foe, and the men within it more so.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“I do not want to be alone tonight.”

“You’re not alone, Leksa.” I reach out and after a moment, she takes my hand.

A second later, she lets go, gets up and blows out the candle. I stretch out on the bed and a few seconds later, she lays beside me, rigid. “That’s not why you came,” I say.

After a few more seconds I hear her moving and then she is draped over me. I put my arms around her. “I’ve got you.”

She begins to shake, and soon my neck is wet with her silent tears. I don’t say anything. I hold her close, move my hand to remind her I’m still with her. Eventually, we both fall asleep.

I wake alone and wonder whether it was a dream. The guard outside my door escorts me to Lexa’s tent. We eat breakfast, and Wells is brought in. He tells his story again, and a third time. Each version is the same.

When we ride out to retrieve Anya’s body, I ride in front of Lexa. Wells rides behind one of the warriors that follows us out. He’s able to guide us there with little trouble. Lexa dismounts and uncovers Anya’s face, then stands and gestures for the warriors. She gets back on her horse and we take off back the way we came, but Lexa doesn’t take us directly to TonDC. Instead, we return to the drop ship. It holds nothing of value. Any loose metal has been taken, as has anything we can use. It’s just a place, and I don’t know what she’s looking for.

“They could have taken you,” she says finally.

“I’m here,” I answer, and put my hand over hers on the reins.

“I do not know how we can save your friends or my people, but we must try.”

“Let me talk to Wells. Maybe he and I can think of something.”

“Is he?” she asks and stops. “Are you?”

“No, Leksa.” I turn so she can see my face. “He’s like a brother.”

“He does not look at you like a brother.”

“I can’t control how he looks at me. I want you.”

She leans forward and gives me a chaste kiss. We both sigh after. She turns the horse toward TonDC and a few minutes later speaks again. “I will prepare her body for the pyre and light it at sunrise.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“I must do it alone.”

“If you need me, I’ll be there.”

“I want you to talk to your friend. Learn all he knows about the Mountain. He will tell you everything, things he thinks of no importance to me. Those things may turn the tide.”

“I can do that.”

“What do your people do for their dead?”

“On the Ark, we jettisoned their bodies into space after saying the Traveler’s Prayer. Here, we said the same words and dug graves for them.”

“We burn the bodies of our dead so their souls can depart to prepare to return. What are the words your people say?”

“In peace, may you leave this shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels until our final journey on the ground. May we meet again.”

“May we meet again,” Lexa repeats quietly, but says nothing more.

Just outside sight of the gates, she stops the horse. Lexa wraps her arms around me and I feel her breath on my neck. I turn as much as I can, and we share another kiss, not as chaste as the first, but gentle and a little sad.

“I will see you tomorrow,” she promises, and kisses me again. A moment later, she gets the horse moving.

In the village, I go to find Nyko. He is at his workplace and I take on whatever task is available although the day is nearly over.

100 – 100 – 100

I sleep well for a few hours after several restless ones. I dress and go out into the village. Usually at this hour it is quiet. There is movement now, and I follow it, follow the people out of the village to a meadow. There is an orderly stack of wood there, Anya’s body on top of it. People circle it, and soon it seems that everyone is there except Wells. The sky grows lighter, and Lexa finally steps forward. She stands at the head of the pyre and pronounces, “Yu gonplei ste oden,” before thrusting the burning torch into the base. She repeats this on each side. When she returns to the starting point, her eyes find mine and she says, “[Mebi oso na hit choda op nodotaim.](http://trigedasleng.info/translations/2015-0101-1/)”

I  stand with the crowd until the blaze dies down to a small, very hot fire. As much as I want to stand with Lexa, she has given me a job, and I follow the others back to the village and find Wells.

We eat together and after walk outside. I start asking questions and immediately discover that I need paper. I start with Nyko and end up asking one of the guards outside Lexa’s tent. He lets me in but makes Wells wait outside. I get several sheets of rough paper and a pencil from the table that serves as her desk. Wells and I return to the common meal area. It is empty, and we start again. I draw what he saw, draw his escape, draw as much of the inside of Mount Weather as he can remember. He talks about the guards and the man in charge and how it felt wrong to him from the beginning. No one would listen to him. They were so relieved not to worry about food or shelter or the Grounders. 

We go over it again. I ask about the dam. Hydroelectric, he says, and that if the power could be turned off, they would be trapped inside. They can’t come outside at all, can’t tolerate the radiation like we can. I explain to him that we were genetically altered to survive the radiation in space. I remember reading the journals in the library.

Lunch comes and goes and we are still talking. I am doing my best to get everything he remembers. When we finish, he asks me, “Why do you need all of this?”

“Heda thinks we can save everyone in there. You’re the only person to ever escape there.”

“I wanted to let the others out of their cages, but Anya wouldn’t let me.” He struggles to repeat what she said.

“I will tell Heda,” I translate. “Stay strong.” I pause. “She probably said more, but I can’t figure it out from what you said.”

“Who was she?”

“A general. One of Heda’s oldest friends. The woman who saved you.”

“Should I be scared?” he asks in a tone just above a whisper.

“Of?”

“These people.”

“One of them saved you, Wells.”

“You saved me. They were dragging me off to who knows where.”

I shake my head. “Anya saved you, and you saved yourself with this.” I tap the papers.

“You aren’t the same,” he says finally.

“No, I’m not. Neither are you.”

“ I guess.”

The first people begin to arrive for supper. I gather the papers and stand, pat Wells on the shoulder. “Get some supper, and get some rest. I’ll see you later.”

He looks disappointed as I leave. I go immediately to Lexa’s tent. She has not yet returned. I put the papers and pencil on her desk and begin walking to the meadow. She is still there, the last one, her eyes focused on the embers. She turns her head when she sees me coming, and when I get closer, she reaches out. I take her hand and we stand silently together for several minutes.

I owe a debt to Anya, one that can’t be repaid. She saved my oldest friend, but he couldn’t save her. Lexa has lost her Wells, the person she didn’t have to explain things to. We stand until there is no more red in the fire. She doesn’t let go of my hand as we walk back to the village, to her tent. She stops at the entrance long enough to ask her guard to bring us food and drink.

She sees the papers on her table and picks them up. “What did you learn?”

“He saw a lot. I’ll tell you about it after you eat.” I take the papers from her hand and pile them on the far side of the table.

“I saw you at the pyre this morning.”

“She saved Wells. I’ll never be able to thank her for it.”

“She would not want your thanks. She would want us to keep the promise she made to those still inside.”

“We will find a way to do that.”

Our food arrives, and I am able to distract Lexa from the papers long enough to eat and drink. She needs to do both after standing by Anya’s pyre for so many hours. I know she will not rest until we at least start discussing the information Wells brought.

She puts our empty plates aside and I move my chair closer to hers. The pile of papers is in my hand, and she looks at them curiously.

I start at the beginning, explain the drawings as we go. I don’t know how helpful they are, but Lexa seems pleased and a little excited when we finish.

“If they found a way out, we can find a way in,” she says.

“Sha.”

“We will find a way.” She is all steel and determination despite how tired she must be.

“We’ll start tomorrow,” I promise. “You need to rest.” I put the papers on the far side of the table and return my chair to its original position. When I stand up, Lexa does, too. I think my hug startles her, but she accepts it after a few seconds. I kiss her cheek. “Sweet dreams, Leksa.”

“Will you stay?” Her question is so quiet and unsure.

“Sha.”

Her bed is so much more comfortable than mine. Lexa removes her sash, coat, and boots. I take off my boots. In her bed, as in mine, she is on the outside. Unlike mine, we have room to be apart from each other, but that is not what she wants or needs. She pulls me completely on top of her and only then do I feel her start to relax. It doesn’t take long for me to fall asleep.

The bed is empty when I wake, but I hear footsteps and Lexa appears, holding two steaming mugs. She sits on the bed and when I sit up, she hands one to me, then tucks some stray hairs behind my ear. “Did you sleep well?”

“Sha. You?”

The start of a smile appears on her face. “Sha. Very well.”

I smile back. This thing between us is new and powerful and a bit fragile. There are too many things that could go wrong.

“After breakfast, your friend will be brought here so we can speak again.”

“Is he still a prisoner?”

“For the moment.”

I want to ask so many questions and know this isn’t the time. I know, too, that we may not have much time together once she begins to plan for war. The thought of it makes me ill. Lexa sees my face and says, “He is not shackled, Klark. He is being treated as a guest until I am certain of his intentions.”

I try to smile and lift my mug when I can’t. I’m saved by a guard bringing food. While we eat, Lexa talks about the things she wants to show me in Polis. I am curious. I want to see them, to have her show me the things she loves, the things she thinks I’ll like.

After we finish, Wells is brought in and Indra comes. She sits across from me, and Wells sits across from Lexa. Wells slowly and carefully goes over the drawings, and I make corrections where he says they are needed. They have him go over everything again, and while they do, I draw a cutaway of the entire complex so they can see how each level intersects and what they’re up against. From time to time, Wells stops talking to Lexa and Indra to make me change something.

It’s late afternoon before they finish interrogating him. None of us have eaten since breakfast. Lexa’s tone is gentle when she addresses me, but I know it’s an order. “Klark, take Wells and clean up. You are free until supper.”

“Sha, Heda,” I answer.

He stands before I do and nods to both women, and waits to follow me out. A few feet from the tent, he lets out a huge sigh. “Are they always that intense?”

“Sha. Yes. You’ll get used to it.”

“Is there anyone here besides you?”

“Octavia Blake.”

“I looked for you when I realized you were gone, and I got back just in time to be abducted.” He paused for a moment. “I’m glad you weren’t there for that.”

“Me too. We went back. Heda made us go back, and she wouldn’t let us touch the gas canisters that were left.”

We reach the bathhouse. There’s a trough outside, and towels. I really just need to clean the charcoal from my hands and face. Wells washes up, too. There are still a few hours before supper. “I’m going to the infirmary,” I tell Wells, and he nods.

Nyko finds a job for him while I grind herbs. He asks Wells lots of questions, and Wells is his usual cautious self when he answers. Still, the time goes quicker with something to do. When we leave to go eat supper, one of Lexa’s guards waits for me. “I’ll see you later,” I tell Wells, and leave with her. I hear Nyko saying something to Wells as I walk away.

Lexa is alone in her tent, pacing. I don’t think she does it often, and I wonder what has her agitated. I hesitate to approach her, stand to the side of where she turns and say her name as she approaches. Lexa stops and looks at me for a moment, then turns her back.

“What’s wrong?”

“We cannot save anyone,” she says, sounding both defeated and angry. “They have cameras to see us coming. They have acid fog to stop us from moving. They are buried inside the Mountain, and they will keep taking my people because I have no way to stop them.”

A boom in the distance stops her rant. Lexa grabs my hand and we run from her tent. She looks around until she sees a brighter spot in the sky. She runs again, to the stable, and this time, I ride behind her. All she says is, “Hold on,” before she digs her heels into the horse’s sides so that it takes off galloping.

Soon I hear the uneven tattoo of other hoof beats, and after a mad dash through the forest, Lexa pulls the horse to a stop. Its sides heave and for the first time I look around. The fire is from a huge piece of the Ark. I awkwardly get off the horse and start for the Ark. “Hello! Is anyone there?”

I don’t realize how close I am when Lexa’s arms go around my waist. She pulls me back, away from the blaze now topped with a column of black smoke. I struggle against her. “There might be people alive in there.”

“They cannot come out and we cannot enter. We must wait for the flames to die down.”

“They might die.”

“If we get close, we will die. As soon as it is safe, we will search, Klark. I give my word.”

I think about all the people who might be in there. My mom might be there. Wells’ dad. I’m mad at both of them, and I want the chance to tell them. My friends might be there. People I saw all the time but didn’t really know. I think I’m ready to face whoever survives, but I’m wrong.

People begin stumbling out, on fire, screaming. While I’m trying to register it, Lexa turns me around and presses my face into her shoulder. “Do not look, Klark.”

But it’s too late.

I struggle free and try to run toward the Ark again, to help whoever survived the landing. Lexa catches me quickly and drags me back. The more I struggle, the tighter she holds me. I wonder who’s screaming, and realize it’s me when I stop. Only then do I hear Lexa. “Shusha, Klark. Yu nou sis em au. Moba, niron.” (Hush, Clarke. You can’t help them. I’m sorry, sweetheart.)


	3. Chapter 3

We stand there for hours, waiting for the flames to die down. It’s dawn before Lexa releases me. I don’t run. There’s no reason to run. Those people, they’re dead. Everyone’s dead, but I have to check anyway.

Lexa’s right behind me, and her warriors follow. Inside is worse, full of bodies burned beyond recognition. They don’t even look human. I hear a voice and follow it. It’s a radio. Someone’s alive and broadcasting. I expect to hear someone from space, but it’s Monty.

“It’s Clarke, Monty. What’s going on?”

“They’re going to kill us. All of us.”

“We can’t come in because of the cameras and acid fog.”

“I can stop them,” he says confidently. “I have to go. Someone’s coming. Stay on this channel. I’ll hail you when it’s safe.”

“OK.”

I turn to look at Lexa. She is staring at the radio. “Who was that?”

“One of the guys who came down with me.”

“He is in the Mountain?”

“Sha. He says he can stop the cameras and the fog.”

“How will you reach him?”

I lift the radio from its cradle. “He’ll get back with me when it’s safe.”

“Can you bring that back to Tondisi?”

“Yeah, but we’re gonna need batteries.”

“Where do we find them?”

“I don’t know. If we can find a storage room, some might be there.”

“What do they look like?”

I open the back of the radio and point at the battery. Lexa looks at it intensely, then turns to give orders. To me, she says, “It is not safe here. If there are batteries, they will find them.”

She herds me toward the exit, and I try not to look at the bodies of those who made it out of the Ark only to die.

“We will return to Tondisi. I will send workers to tend the dead and scrappers to take anything of use.”

I nod, still shocked at everything. Our ride back to Tondisi is at a more sedate pace. Lexa is vigilant of our safety. When we’re safely inside the walls, at the stable, I get off the horse and walk away. I need a minute, or an hour, or maybe forever to process what I saw. My clothes reek of chemicals and death, and even when I blink I see burning people stumbling away from the Ark.

Wells is pacing in front of my cabin. “What was it?” he asks anxiously.

“I don’t know which station.”

“Did anyone survive?”

I look at our feet and shake my head.

“Why do you have a radio?”

“Clarke,” someone hisses.

“I’m here.”

“When we get the defenses down, what’s going to happen?”

“The Grounder army will come in.”

“How will they know not to kill us?”

“Pick something to wear, a color or a badge or something and let me know what it is.”

“OK. Monty says he needs a few days.”

“Let us know when.”

In the silence after, I look at Wells. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”

“I’ll go with you.”

“Don’t, please.”

“Clarke,” he pleads, but I’m already walking away.

Lexa sits at her table, studying the drawings I made from Wells’ descriptions.

“How long will it take to gather your troops?”

“Three days.”

“Call them.”

“Klark, I am sorry.”

“I know.”

“Please stay. I will have food brought in.”

I’m about to say no, but realize how hungry and tired I am. We were waiting for supper when everything went to shit. That was hours ago, so I nod and sit at the table while Lexa shuffles the papers into a pile. She goes to the entrance to tell the guard what to bring. She returns and sits near me.

“There will be a pyre for your people tomorrow.”

“How many?”

“I do not know yet. The scrappers will be there for days. There is much that is useful.”

“Yeah.” I look at the table and Lexa looks at me. “Somebody hailed me, I don’t know who, but said Monty needs a few days to disable the defenses. Skaikru will have something to distinguish them from the people of Mount Weather.”

“I will tell my warriors that they are not to be harmed.”

“I’m going with you. When you go there, I’m going.”

“You are not a warrior, Klark. It will not be safe.”

“You can’t stop me, Leksa. They’re my people.”

“You left them,” she points out.

“They’re afraid of you. Not you personally, all of you.”

“They will be safe.”

I scoff. “They’re not safe now. I’m going with you. Wells and Octavia, too, if they want. People will be injured. You’ll need healers, too.”

“Healers stay in camp.”

“So people who could be saved die waiting to be seen? So they die being carried down here?”

“Good healers are a rare and valuable resource. We do not risk them for a few lives.”

I just stare at her, trying to fit that statement into how I see the grounders, how I see her, but I’m too tired. Before either of us can say more, food arrives. We eat without talking, and when I finish, I excuse myself and leave, although Lexa asks me to stay.

In my cabin, I fall onto my mattress and into sleep. I don’t wake up when Lexa joins me, but she’s there in the morning, an arm and a leg keeping me close to her. We both still reek of the wreck site. I remember our disagreement, the way she callously sorted lives by their value. I wonder what value I have once she captures Mount Weather, and Octavia and Wells and all the delinquents who traded one prison for another.

As if they heard me thinking of them, the radio goes off. “Princess, wake the hell up.”

“What do you want, Bellamy?”

“We’re ready when you are.”

“Heda has summoned the armies.”

“They will be here in two days,” Lexa adds.

“Two days,” he answers, and the channel is empty again.

“I must go,” Lexa says apologetically. She runs a hand down my hair and kisses my cheek. “Will you come for supper?”

“If I can.”

She doesn’t look like she understands, but accepts it. I wait to give her time to get away, get my other set of clothes, and go to the bathhouse. After, I get breakfast and go in search of my friends.

They are both in the training ring, and I hate to interrupt them, but I need to tell them what’s coming.

“You should train with us,” Octavia says.

I shake my head.

“Just enough to stay safe,” Wells adds.

Next thing I know, I am with a group of young kids, learning to duck and dodge, how to use a leg sweep, where to hit to cripple and kill. I am awkward and fall, but they do not mock me. The only other blonde person I’ve seen, a boy, pulls me off the ground every time I fall. “Ge smak daun, gyon op nodotaim.”

“What?”

“Get knocked down, get up again.”

I can do that. It seems like it’s all I’ve done since Dad was executed.

By the time we break for lunch, I am bruised and sore. Octavia and Wells are much better than I am, and after lunch, they return to the training ring and I go to Nyko.

“I expected you this morning.”

“My friends dragged me into training.”

“That is good.”

“We’re going to war.”

“I know. We must prepare.” He points at the work table. “Make salve. I will go get more ingredients.”

For the rest of the day, I grind herbs with the mortar and pestle, add them to melted animal fat, and fill tins with the mixture. It’s relaxing in a perverse way, and I don’t have to think about what’s coming while I do it. I realize how late it is only when one of Lexa’s guards interrupts me. “I’ll go as soon as I finish what I’m doing,” I tell her.

I thought she’d go tell Lexa, but she’s waiting outside to escort me. Lexa’s waiting, too, and puts aside the drawings of Mount Weather when I enter. She stands to greet me. She’s clean, smells like the forest.

To my relief, she doesn’t talk about Mount Weather or war or the fallen station. She says that after we eat, she’d like to show me something. The last time, it was a section of the forest that glows.

This time, it is a longer walk and she holds my hand the entire time. Our destination is a cliff over a broad, calm section of the river. It acts like a mirror, reflecting trees, stars, the half full moon. She spreads one of the rolled furs she slung over her shoulder before we left and we sit on it at the edge of the cliff.

“This is beautiful,” I tell her quietly, as if our voices will ruin it.

“You are beautiful,” she answers, moves closer, and puts her arm around me.

We sit and watch the sky’s reflection on the water. After a while, I move so we are touching from shoulder to knee.

Lexa kisses my temple. “I used to sit here and wonder what was up there,” she said softly.

“I used to watch from the viewing port for hours.”

“Is it as you expected?”

“No.” I put my head on her shoulder. I don’t want to talk about what we thought Earth would be like. I don’t want to talk about how it is. I don’t want to think or plan or worry.

Lexa doesn’t press me for an answer. She lifts me into her lap before I realize what she’s doing. We both giggle, and then we kiss for a long time. I am about to move to straddle her when she stops. “Not yet.”

I nod, and she kisses me again.

“It is late. Tomorrow will be busy.”

I get the message and stand up. She declines my offer to help with the fur, has it rolled and tied in seconds. When we get back to Tondisi, she offers me a choice, and I choose her bed.

In the morning, we eat breakfast and she sends me off to the training ring with a kiss. I spend the morning there again. My young blond friend greets me with a smile. I am just as awkward as yesterday, but I keep trying.

I spend the afternoon with Nyko preparing bandages and putting gut through needles for stitches. Lexa’s guard never comes for me, and Nyko finally sends me to get dinner. Lexa is waiting in my cabin. She apologizes, tells me she was meeting with her generals.

While she’s there, the long silent radio comes to life. “Princess.”

“Bellamy.”

“Noon tomorrow. We can’t wait any longer. They’ve taken six of us and won’t tell us where they went or why.”

“Tell me when when it’s done. And be careful. Octavia won’t be happy if you get hurt.”

“O’s with you?” he asks with surprise.

“Yeah.”

“Tell her I love her,” he says, and I hear the click that tells me he’s turned his radio off.

Lexa smiles at me. “Prisa. It suits you.”

I roll my eyes. “He’s being sarcastic.”

“I am not.”

She kisses me, gently at first, then pulls me flush against her body.

“I want to feel all of you.”

“Soon,” I answer.

“Soon,” she replies, slides her thigh between mine, pulls me onto it. I groan at the pressure, feel her answering groan on my shoulder where she’s pushed my shirt aside. I pull her face up, kiss her again, slowly, backing us down. “Soon,” she says hoarsely, and holds me close for while. Lexa walks me to my cabin, follows me inside, kisses me a few more times. “I will see you after Maun-de falls.”

I don’t answer. After she leaves, I light the candle. In the corner are most of the things I will need for tomorrow. Octavia got armor, two small knives, and a sword for me. I hope not to use them, but I will if necessary. It’s late, and I lay down, trying not to think, and eventually fall asleep.

Before dawn, Octavia is shaking me roughly. She’s already wearing armor and warpaint. I hear pacing outside, probably Wells. Octavia helps me into the armor, puts the blades on so I can reach them. She drags me outside and Wells follows us around to the back of the cabin. He’s the one who puts kohl on my face under Octavia’s direction. Together, they streak it through my hair, covering it so I look more like a grounder.

“Come and eat with us,” Wells says.

“I need to get some things from Nyko. I’ll catch up with you.”

Instead of going to the mess, they follow me to the infirmary. It’s empty, and I fill my pockets with bandages, a couple needles and a roll of gut, some tins of salve. It’s all I can take, but it might be enough to save someone. After that, I go with them to get breakfast.

We stay together. Lincoln joins us later. The four of us are carried into the swirl of warriors gathering at the edge of the acid fog’s reach. I hear someone on the radio and raise it to my ear.

“Clarke, answer me,” Harper demands.

“I’m here.”

“The guys are ready when you are.”

“Tell them to go. Call me back when they finish.”

I pass the radio to Octavia. “Tell Heda I’m with Nyko and give her the message from Harper.”

She takes it uncertainly, looks at Lincoln, and begins moving forward. He follows her. It’s so quiet that I hear Bellamy, then Monty report that they’ve done their jobs. The next sound is +Lexa’s howl. “KOM WOR!”

It feels like the army’s answer shakes the earth, and then we are moving forward. I wonder how Skaikru has marked themselves, whether someone told Lexa what their badge is. And then it’s too late to think about anything except moving up the mountain.

I hear the whine of a bullet and a detachment moves to get the shooter. We are slowed, moving around someone, Lexa, leaning on Indra. I stop. “Let me see,” I demand.

Blood drips from both sides of her armor, but not with her pulse. I unbuckle her armor and cut away her shirt.

“You are supposed to be with Nyko.”

“You’re supposed to have enough sense not to make yourself a target.” The bullet went through. I smear both wounds with salve and stitch them shut. I bandage them for comfort. Lexa won’t stop. I don’t even ask her to. Instead, I put a few stitches in the shoulder of her shirt and replace her armor. “Don’t get hurt again,” I order.

“Clarke!” Monty sounds terrified. “We barricaded ourselves in our dorm on the fifth level, but they’re trying to break in.”

I take the radio from Indra. “We’re coming, Monty. Get the doors open.”

“The locks are all disengaged.”

“Hang on, we’ll be there soon.” To Lexa I say, “Let’s go, Heda.”

She says something to Indra in Trig, and I stare both of them down before walking away, toward Mount Weather’s entrance. I didn’t realize Wells stayed with me until he said something. He stops a warrior from touching me. I look up at his face. He’s huge, tattooed, bearded. “Heda said you must go back.”

“Heda says a lot of stupid things,” I mutter, and keep going forward. Wells gets between the warrior and me, and soon we are lost in the crowd again. I know that warrior let it happen, and I’ll make sure Lexa doesn’t punish him.

We are in the tunnels, and inside Mount Weather within the hour. It’s a bloodbath on both sides. The Mountain Men have guns, and Wells and I grab rifles, pistols, and ammunition from the dead as we try to reach the fifth level.

When we get there, the doors have been forced open. Our friends are screaming in pain and dying. I try to stop the massacre, but no one listens to me. I am shoved aside, and Wells defends me. It’s like time stops when I see Bellamy beheaded. She promised they would be safe if they helped us, and they’re all dead. We’re pushed aside as warriors rush to the hallway, seeking other opponents.

I stand and stare. Wells tries to pull me away, and I punch him. When Lexa arrives, I turn on her. “You promised,” I scream at her.

“I am sorry, Klark.”

I shove her injured shoulder. Indra catches Lexa as she staggers back, and I run back the way I came, out into the tunnel, outside, into the trees, away from Tondisi. I run until I collapse, and when I can get up, I lurch forward, keeping Mount Weather at my back.

The warriors who find me aren’t Trikru. Their faces are scarred beneath white warpaint. Their furs are different and bear the symbol of a hand with a spiral in the palm. “Leave me alone!” I demand.

“Heda seeks a Trikru warrior,” one says, and dumps a canteen over my head. “With yellow hair, blue eyes, and armor that does not fit.”

“Leave her,” a woman barks. She oozes authority. They release me before she completes the order and bow deeply. She looks me up and down disdainfully. “What does she see in you, I wonder?”

I stare at her angrily. I feel the black paint running down my face and neck.

“Clean her up and bring her to me,” she orders, and leaves as quickly as she appeared.

The warriors don’t need to use weapons to prompt me to move. There are too many of them to give me any other choice. I’m alone in the tent designated for bathing for a few minutes, but at every wall I see the silhouette of a warrior. There’s no getting out of here. Then buckets of water arrive, and a female warrior brings clean clothing. She doesn’t leave, just turns her back.

It’s a kindness I don’t expect, but appreciate. I awkwardly remove my armor, then my clothing, and find a shallow cut on my thigh. I have no idea when that happened. It’s already scabbed over, so there’s nothing to do except make sure it doesn’t get infected.

I don’t linger in the bath, and I’m sure there are still traces of black in my hair. I dry and dress and put the armor back on. I know it’s valuable, and I don’t want to leave it. Finally, I transfer the tins and bandages from my ruined clothes to the new ones. “I’m ready,” I tell the warrior.

She turns and looks at me, looks through me. “Come.”

She guides me through the camp. I try to keep track of how large it is and the way we’re going. She pushes me inside the largest tent in the camp and bows to the woman sitting at a table full of food.

“Return to your duties, Ontari.”

The woman bows again and leaves the tent.

“Sit. Eat. Tell me who you are that Lexa kom Trikru seeks you.”

I’d like to defy her, but I’m hungry and tired. Lexa’s betrayal leaves me hollow and aching. I wonder whether she took the opportunity to kill Wells and Octavia, as well. I slide into the only other seat. “I’m Clarke Griffin, Clarke kom Skaikru.”

“So the rumors are true.”

I ignore her and fill the plate, begin eating.

“The Mountain has fallen.”

“I know.”

“They left no one alive. The ones they sought to rescue were already dead.”

I wonder whether that’s why my friends were killed.

“Heda sent messengers as soon as the battle was over. She seeks your safe return.”

I swallow what’s in my mouth and think about answering, but I don’t like the oily tone of her voice.

“She told the messengers to say that the boy and the girl are safe, as are a few others.”

I bite my tongue to keep, “Liar,” from slipping out. She could have controlled her warriors. She should have told them to leave the fifth level alone. She could have done so many things other than use me and my friends to get what she wanted. As hungry as I was, my appetite is gone. All I can see is Bellamy’s head falling to the floor. There’s so much blood, so many bodies, so much screaming.

I am jerked to my feet, and that brings me back to this tent, the table full of food, Ontari’s snarl, this woman’s faux concern. I can’t stop the vomit that flies from my mouth, what I just ate and a day’s worth of bile. I won’t cry in front of them, but my body will betray me in other ways.

“Ontari, see our guest to her quarters and return to me.”

“Yes, my queen.” Ontari lifts me to my feet and half carries, half drags me out of the tent to another. It’s not as nice as the one I was in, but nicer than one warriors share. “If you need anything, ask the guard.”

“Who is your queen?”

“Nia of Azgeda.”

For the first time I am frightened. I wonder whether the stories I’ve heard in Tondisi are true or fabricated to sow fear. I have been treated well, all things considered. The bed is small, but comfortable, as I learn when I sit on it. It has been a long day. I don’t even remove my boots, just lay down. Even fear of what I might see in my dreams can’t keep my eyes open.

When Ontari comes for me in the morning, I am awake, pacing, wondering what’s next. She leads me back to Nia’s tent, and I sit at her table again.

“I trust you slept well,” Nia says.

“Yes, thank you.”

“Eat. And try to keep it inside this time.”

I nod and put some fruit on my plate. Nia tsks her disapproval before the questions begin.

“Tell me, Clarke of the sky, why you ran from Mount Weather and Trikru.”

“Heda said my people would be safe, but her warriors killed them.”

“Her message said at least two are alive.”

“They were part of the army.”

“Perhaps she lies.”

I don’t have to say anything. She can see that the thought worries me.

“Why is Heda so interested in you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Is she your lover?”

“No.”

Nia nods slowly. “She was courting you.”

“Yes.”

“Where are the rest of your people?”

“Dead.”

“Do you wish to return to Trikru?”

“No.”

“And if Heda orders your return?”

“I will not go.”

Nia’s smile is cold, calculating. “I like you, Clarke of the sky. We return to Azgeda tomorrow. You may come with us.”

“Or?”

“You can be my guest or my prisoner. It makes no difference to me.”

“Why do you care?”

“Heda and I do not see eye to eye on many matters. Perhaps you can provide insight into her thinking.”

I wonder whether I will have control of my life ever again. “When do we leave?”

She laughs. “You are smarter than you look, Clarke of the sky. I leave within the hour. You will ride with me.”

I nod and take meat, cheese, and bread from the platter.

“What do you do when you aren’t enduring Heda’s attentions?”

“I’m a healer.”

“Wonderful. Ontari,” she calls.

“My queen.”

“We need a horse for Clarke.”

“I can’t ride.”

“Never mind. She will ride with you.”

Ontari bows and disappears again.

“Azgeda is cold, but it is beautiful and my people are strong. You will have all you need, and you will not see Lexa kom Trikru.”

“Mochof.”

“I hope that you will come to trust me, Clarke. I believe you will make an excellent addition to Azgeda.”

“Mochof,” I repeat as a chill runs down my back. I wonder whether I am making a mistake, whether there is an explanation that I have not allowed Lexa to share. That thought ignites an inferno of rage. There is no acceptable reason for the slaughter of my friends. They weren’t armed, had no way to fight back, and were the reason her army was inside Mount Weather for the first time. I finish my meal quickly, lost in my thoughts. Minutes later, I follow Nia out of the tent and through camp. The horses are corralled at the camp’s north side, and a few are ready to go.

Nia mounts and waits for Ontari to pull me onto her horse before beginning to move. Guards follow behind us, and I have no doubt that scouts were sent ahead to ensure there are no problems.

We stop for the night in a trading village inside Azgeda borders. I ache from being on a moving horse all day and my legs barely support me when I dismount. I know better than to show weakness and follow her, albeit slowly, into the inn.

I am nearly forgotten once we are inside. There is constant cheering and endless toasts. Ontari is tasked with caring for me and brings me up to a room. She orders a bath and food, and sits on a chair just inside the door to ensure my privacy and safety.

“Thank you, Ontari,” I tell her before beginning to remove my armor.

She gets out of the chair and comes to help me. “This armor does not fit properly.”

“It’s all Octavia could get for me.”

“You will get proper clothing and gear when we reach the capital.”

I sigh with relief at the removal of the weight from my shoulders. “Why is Nia interested in me?”

“She believes Heda too weak to lead properly. You know her. You will help Azplana understand Heda’s actions.”

“Huh.”

“You are not stupid, Klark. Do not pretend that you are so. Azplana is fair as long as you are honest with her.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

There is a knock on the door and Ontari pushes me away from it before opening. A parade of serving women carry buckets of hot water to fill the tub. None of them see me. The last one carries a tray. Ontari takes it from her and puts it on the table under the window. She locks the door.

“Take a bath, Clarke. It will help your aches.”

“What about you?”

“I am a warrior of Azgeda. I can ride all night, fight all day, and ride again.” Ontari retakes her seat at the door, eyes fixed on the wall while I remove the my clothing and get into the bath. It feels so good. The hot water eases the ache and when I get out, I can move freely.

Ontari joins me at the table. “Wouldn’t you rather be downstairs?”

“Azplana is safe. She wishes you to remain so. You do not yet know our ways.” Ontari fills a plate and puts it in front of me. “Eat,” she instructs, and fills a plate for herself.

“Tell me about where we’re going.”

“Ottawa is a good place, on a river. Forests are near.”

“How do you get food?”

“We fish and hunt. The growing season is short. We trade furs for what we cannot provide ourselves.”

Ontari stops talking for a few moments, and looks as if she is trying to decide how much to tell me.

“Klark, Azplana can be cruel. She demands much of her people. She will demand much of you. I do not know what she is planning. Be careful. She will kill you if she believes you anything but loyal to her. You cannot admit to any affection for Heda.”

“I don’t trust Lexa. She betrayed me, betrayed my people. Skaikru is dead because she couldn’t control her warriors.”

Ontari nods slowly. “Finish your meal and go to bed. We leave early tomorrow.”

She doesn’t talk for the rest of the meal, and I wonder again what, exactly, I’m getting into.


End file.
